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It is rare for champion jockey Joao Moreira to go winless at a Singapore race meeting. With 174 winners to his credit in season 2012, Moreira is usually on the winner’s board early in the programme.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Following the first eight races on Friday night Moreira had failed to boot home a winner and instead it was left to fellow Brazilian Ivaldo Santana to take up the slack by booting home a double.
After scoring aboard The Rude Warrior in the Kranji Stakes C over 1900m, Santana was back in the winner’s circle in the $75,000 Class 3 Stakes over 1200m when successful aboard Great Light.
After a slow start to his riding stint in Singapore, Santana has now notched 41 winners for the season and sits comfortably in fifth position on the Jockey’s Premiership Table.
Returning a $59 dividend, Great Light scored a one-and-a-quarter length victory from Davide with the warm favourite Royal Tudor a length-and-three-quarters away third.
Santana had Great Light up riding the speed. Marcusino led early before being headed by stablemate Davide with Great Light separating the pair but in third position.
Turning for home Marcusino began to drop off and it was at this stage that Santana made his move taking Great Light up to Davide.
After a short struggle Great Light got the better of Davide. Moreira had got Royal Tudor into clear galloping room and looked set to run down the first two but the spark from his first two starts was missing.
Santana has been riding Great Light in his trackwork in preparation for Friday night’s race and went into the race feeling confident.
“He gave me a very good ride and I was always confident in the run,” said Santana.
“He was travelling very well throughout the race. I had been riding him work and the trainer (Michael Clements) gave me the instructions and it all worked out well.”